Freewheeling unit



NOV. 1933- c. RUESENBERG ET AL 1,936,834

FREEWHEELING UNIT Filed March 9, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l Cari fl @aeserzerg (flzZZz'am Hayes.

Nov. 28, 1933.

C. A. RU ESENBERG ET AL FREEWHEELING UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9. 1951 Cari 9x46567056 1933- c. A. RUESENBERG ET AL 1,936,884

FREEWHEELING UNIT Filed March 9, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I [/LIZL Patented Nov. '28, 1933 v r Q i 1,936,884 ff 7 a FREEWHEEhlNG UNIT Carl A. 'Ruesenberg and William Hughes; f

Rockford, Ill., assignors to "Rockford Drilling Machine Company, Rockford IlL, a corpora -f tion of Illinois r Application,March 9, 1931. seriai No.,,521,0sef

12 Claims; (c im-4s);

This invention relates to motor vehicle transmissions, and has generally to do'with avfree Wheeling clutch and lockout mechanism. 1 A number of cars of well known make are now on the road with operating mechanism.'embody-' ing the principle of free wheeling; that is, wherein the vehicle may proceed by virtue of its own mo- .mentum independently of the enginaso that the subject to a sudden and severe'torque, accompan-ied by great vibration. Repeated shocks of this'characterhave a tendency to crystallize the metal of the shaft and finally breakdown the same. This is caused by the fact that while the car is freewheeling the differential shaft is ro- 'tating at a much higher rate of speed than the engine shaft,,and, in looking out the free wheeling, a direct drive is set up between these two shafts so that the engine. may serve as a brake to slow down'the car. This is moreover quite annoying to the occupants of the-vehicle. I

A further objection to. free wheeling mechanisms as now constructed, especiallyin regard to the lockout feature, resides in the fact that an operation by the hand'of the driver'is necessary in I order to actuate the same. This is not only annoying but is also inconvenient for the driver, and since it usually becomes necessary to lock out the freewheeling mechanism. and employ the engine as a brake in a very small space of time, as in an emergency, the driver is hard pressed to handle the car properly without thus additionally exerting himself.

It is accordingly one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a free wheel mechanism embodying a lock out device of such construction that, in the actuation of the'same,

the resultant torsional stress, on the associated that these sets of teeth may be interlocked without-disengaging. the clutch itself, the pedal being 105 7 parts will be practically negligible.

"A further object of the invention is to provide means, embodied me free wheelcon'structiongby which it is possible to actuate the lock out'device by a normal operation of the driver. i

Free wheeling constructions of the) character generally in use employ roller' orspring clutches to provide the one-way or overrunning .drive;

"released simultaneously.

Spring clutches are. more: or less unsatisfactory 'for'the reason thatjundesiredslippingsometimes.

occurs and accurate machining: of parts is necessary. Roller clutches also requireverylaccurate a work to insure that all rollers willgrip andflbe It is accordingly a furtherobject ofv thepresent Work, yet which will positivelygrip'for the one-7 invention to'provide an improved roverr-unning Y clutch involvingvery littleflaccuratefimachine r 65 way drive andwill slip easily'for the relativemotion of the clutch-parts, requiringa low .cost of manufacture and little timefor assembly. A further object of the present inventionis r In 7 carrying out 'the' invention, we avail ourselves of anysuitable flywheel and associated back and pressure plate construction forcoopera- I tionwith theclutch facings. A disc is grivetedto the clutch plate, andaconcentricfltherewith and is provided with a flange surroundingthe hub ff of'the, clutch platen Special cam means cooperate with the clutch plate and disc, to provide'an 'overrunning or free wheelingv'unit. 3 The disc, has a central, toothedi opening substantially larger v than the usual spline shaft passing through theif same. 7 The :usual slidable splined; sleeve adapted 'to actuate *qclutch retracting or disengaging mechanism is, for thepurposes ofythepresent in- 'vention, provided with anextensionhaving ex-r ternal teeth adapted to interfit withthe internal teeth on thediscrsThe ends' oftheteeth are preferably formed "to facilitate engagement. As long asthesesets of teeth are out of engagement,

However, when, it is desired tOflOCk out the lost motion connection, the sets of teeth aforesaidalj'eo-interlooked in responseto pressure applied by. the foot on the clutch pedal, and the parts are so arranged moved merely a sufficient amountgto usual play inthe'pedal. y It. will be appreciated that take up the a to depress thebrake pedal, so that the action of the foot operated brakewill serve to reduce a v the natural'thing to do when it is, desired to slow down the ,car is to provide a free wheelinggclutch unit ywhichis 9 I I so arranged. that" it. may, 'cooperate; with any associated with the flywheel 3 in the usual manthe difference in speed of rotation ofthe crank shaft and splined shaft, thereby reducing any tendency of the interlocking teeth 33 to clash.

As long as the clutch operating foot is held in position just prior to retraction or disengagement of the engine clutch, and even during the initial Y disengagement of the clutch, if the foot is pushed a little forwardof this position, theengine will act as a brake, providing, of course, that the car is in gear. When the clutchpeda'l is fullydepressed, the clutch is entirely disengaged, and the splined sleeve with its external teeth will have been moved to such a positionthat the sets of teeth are in disengagement. Upon release of the clutch pedal to' cause the clutch to again be engaged, the usual clutch pedal retracting spring (not shown) will withdraw the sleeve andcause the teethithereon to pass through and beyond the teeth on thedisc, which is the driving member of the overrunning clutch. The lockout parts'are located close to the clutch itself so'that- "no appreciable distortion oflthe splineshaft or 7 any other part a'ssociated therewith can occur when the overrunning mechanism is locked out. On the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a fragmentary central sectional view showing one embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 is anend view of the construction appearing in Figure "1, viewed from the right,

partly broken away to show the inner construction, and certain parts being omitted.

Figure '3 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig ure 2, but showing amodified form of free wheelingclutch. v

Figure 4 is a sectional View of the construction shown'in Figure-3, certain "parts being shown in elevation; a

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing a'furtherf-modified form of free wheeling clutch. a V

Figure 6 is a sectional view or the construction shown in Figure 5. v

I "is Referring now more particularly to, the drawings, wherein the same parts'are indicated by the same 'referencechara'cters, it is noted that 'the crank shaft1 provides a'beari'ng forthe adjacent end'of' the spline shaft 2, the shaftl'being 'bolted or ctherwise' securely fastened for rotation with the flyWheelB. A back plate 4 and pressure plate 5 of any suitable construction are ner, the pressure plate being urged toward the flywheel by the usual springs fia Suitable means forwithdrawing the pressure plate -5 is indicated gene'rally'at a pluralityof suclrmean's' being employed,- having a lever 8 adapted'to be ac- 't'u'ated'by al sleeve '9 through the inedium'of a control lever 10 mounted on the shaft 11 for pivo'tal'movement' in response to movement of the clutch pedal (notshowni-i The'u'suaIEspac'e 121s provided between the thrust bearing 13 carried by the slidable sleeve 9 and the knob 14 on the lever, 8 to takecare of the play 'or lost motion which makes-itself evidentupon initially deanti-friction gasket 17 andadisheddisc 18.

pressing the clutchpedal. The construction thus far described is well known and'is not in andcf itself an inventive feature oftheins'tant disclosure.

'The free wheeling clutch constructed "in acc'ordance-with the principles of this invention overliesthe opening 120 opposite the cams 21 and also overlies the 7 'ing 13 toward the end l4 of the lever 8.

centrally of the disc 18 andis provided with a flange 20. Cams or .cam elements 21 are joined byloose pivotal connections with the flange 20,

each connection including a pin 22 securely fastened to a cam 21 and extending into an opening 23 in the flange 20 of the .hub 19, said opening being larger than the pin 22 to aiiord lost mo- 7 tion therebetween. A cover plate'or annulus 24 3 on the side of the flange gasket 17, the plate at this point being so thin that it will not interfere with the action of the clutch. i i

Each cam 21 is pivotally connected to the cover plate 24 at 25, and is provided with a cam surface 2 6 of such formation thatthecam itself constitutes in effect a bell crank lever, the free end or high portion 260, of which is adapted to tightly grip the interior annular surface 27 of the disc18 when the cam is moved in one directionabout the pivot 25, andito release its'grip on the surface 2'7. when the cam is moved in the cpposite direction about the pivot 25. The opening 23, in which the projecting end of the'pin 22 is received, is so arranged that the, cam 21 is capable of a slight pivotal movement about the pivot/'25. The cams are arranged in a series between-the hub 19 and the gripping surface 27. The cams are arranged in pairs, and ajspring 28a is'secu'red to one cam of each pair at 28 and engages in aslot in the adjacent portion of the other cam at 29. It will be noted that the pressure of the spring 28a urges both cam elements of its each pair torotate in the samedirection (couni tier-clockwise as viewed in Figure 2) abouttheir pivots 25, thereby urging the high portions 26a of the cam surfaces 26 into engagement with the annular surface 27. i p i Directing attention now'to Figure 2,,it willbe apparent that Whenthe enginejclutch is in ,en- I gaged position and the engineis driving the car, i. e., the-flywheel tends torotate at a faster rate 3 than the shaft 2 on which the hub 19 is splined,

the clutch will rotate .asshown by the full line arrow at A, and the surface 27 of the disc will thereupon be tightly gripped by the cam surface 26- of each cam'21; and therebyfforcethe shaft 2 to rotate therewith-i IIowever,,as soon as the speed of the shaft 2 tends toexceed that of the flywheel 3, the torque applied" onthe inner end of 51 each cam 21 bythe hub flange 20, through the medium of the pin 22 and openings 23 will result in a pivotal movement'of the cam about. its pivot 25 in a direction to move the high portion 26a of the cam surface 26"away from the surface 2'1, such pivotal movement of the cam 21bein-g made possible by virtue of'its loosepivotal connection with the flange 20 of the-hubJIQ soth-at said 'rcam surfaces 26 willslip'bythe' surface 27,. :It will thus be apparent that the construction afforded i by the present invention provides for free 'wheeling of the vehicle. I I The sleeve 9 is provided with an extension '3!) having external teeth 31 adapted tov interengage with the internaltee'th 32 on the disc 18. i'.

The ends of the teeth are'beveled at 33 to facili- 'tate' their interengagement. When the parts are arranged forf'ree wheeling,cthe teeth 31 are close to the teeth 32 but are held out of engagement therewith by the usual clutch pedal spring, so that in orderthat the teeth may be interengaged, the clutchpeclal mot shown) is depressed to cause the lever 10 to. move the bear-' In causing this movement of the bearing 13 the usual play provided in the. clutch pedal-is taken up,- so that the engine is directly connected,

through interengagement ofthe teeth 31 and 32,

with the shaft 2 to act as a brake therefor, .while the engine clutch is still engaged Thusa normal action on the partofrt'ne driverwill'result in the free wheeling device being locked out and the engine coupled with theshaft 2 to act as aibrake, without in any way affecting the clutch engagement. When it is .desired tordisengage the clutch, it is necessary merely tofurther depress the clutch pedal, which isthe usual action of the driver for this purpose, whereupon the levers 8 are pivoted at 34 to withdraw the pressure plate 5. During the further movementiof the thrust bearing 13, to depress the levers 8,

the teeth 31 are moved further toward the flywheel 3 until, when the clutch pedal is complete- 1y depressed, the teeth 31 will occupy a position shown in dotted lines at 35 ingFigure 1.. In this position, the teeth 31 are out of engagement with -the teeth 32, :although it is tofbe understood that if desired, the teeth may be so arranged 'as to be interengaged so 'long clutch pedal is taken up;

as the play in the It will be observed that inasmuch as the op-, erator will naturally apply the foot brake .to slow down the'car, the effect of such action will be to reduce the speed of the driven staft 2 so that when the teeth 31 and 32 areinterengaged in response to the initial'movementof the clutch pedal, the difference in speed of the teeth 31 and'32 will be reduced to such an extent as not to appreciably interfere with the interengage- .ment' with these teeth. This interengagement will. take place substantially instantaneously,

and, of course,.wil1' be'facilitatedby reason of the ends 33 of the teeth being beveled. More-. over, due to the frictional engagement :of the engine clutch with the flywheel 3, should the difference inspeed of the teeth 31- and 32 be ex cessive, the force applied by the foot pedal in moving theteeth into interengagement will result ina slipping of the clutch before any damage to the parts can 'occur. Asmentioned, the

further depression of the clutch pedal will cause the clutch to be disengaged so thatithe driver may shift the gearing of thetransmission as he desires. Once this is done, the clutch may be released gradually in the usual way, and the teeth 31 will becaused to interengage with the teeth 32 without substantial resistance, so :that

with the clutch pedal thereafter depressed merely the amount suflicient to take upithe usual play, the'teeth 31 and 32 will'still be intengaged so thatthe engine will act as: a brake'for the vehicle. a V,

In Figures 3 and 4, we have shown -a Emodification of the overrunning instrumentalities, wherein the hub 36, splined on the driven shafti(not shown is provided with an annulargrooveLS'i having concentric circular 'surfaces '38 and 39. *Cams 40 are pivotally connected at 43 to the V clutch'plate 41 and the internally tootheddished apart a distance greater than. the. distancebetween the surfaces-38 and 39. ."Thus, when the clutch 47 is engaged with the flywheelandrro- V V construction employedherein, it is'possible to lock out'thelifree wheeling device Without substan- 1 tatesin a direction shown by the arrow, and the engine is driving the-vehicle', the tendency clutch 52.. I

tion

of thepivot-pin 43 to 'rnove the outer portion 48 of thecam -40 with'the. clutch 4'7is resisted v.by engagement of the portions-45 and 46 with the respective surfaces 38" and: 39, said .portions tightly gripping said surfaces .and thereby causing the :hub .3'6 to rotateiwith the clutch 4.7. .When', however, the speed ofthe hub :36 on :the =.sp1ine shaft tends to exceed that. of the flywheel and thegclutch .47, the surfaces 38, and: 39. of

thehub will ride or slipbythe portions 45 and c '46: This is possible by reason ofthe fact that the;'cams 40 are. loosely pivoted at 43' to-permit from engagement withsaid S111.-,

faces. V e v. In a further form of the overrunning instrumentalities embodying the invention,'cam instru- .mentalities areagain employed. j ThBSBl include 3 links "49 pivotedat 50 to the plate 51 o-fthe clutch395 1 52, and extending toward the center of the splined hub 53. Shoes-54, provided with 'arcuate surfaces 55 engaging arcuate portions- 56 of the hub '53, are loosely and pivotallyconnected atfi57* to thelinks 49. Each shoe 541s bifurcatedatits a1.

pivotal connection, andthe inner endxp'ortion 5,8 of the link 49 is adapted for abutment withia surface '59 on the shoe 54: The portion 58 of. each link- 49 is eccentric with respect to the pivot 57, so that upon a tendency of the link 49I'touturn-1 about the pivot;50. in "one direction; the portion 58 will be forced tightly against the "surface 59 of the shoe 54, to thereby'force the shoe surface 55 into gripping engagement with the hub suri'ace'56 and therebycause the hub53 itozmove t with'the clutch 52. It will be apparentfupon'an inspection of Figure 5 that this action is brought about upon the tendency of the clutch: 52, when 'engaged with theflywheel' (not'shown in-this view)' to move in the direction shown. byqthe ar' 1 "row at a greaterspeed than the shaft onuwhich the hub 53 is splined. When, however, the speed of :the splined' shaft tends to, exceed that of 1 the clutch 52, -i. e., due .to the-vehicle being moved solely: by its momentum, it i will be apparentathat the effect of such tendency will betomove the eccentric" portion 58 away from the" surface. 159

of the shoe 54, so that the surfaces 55. and'56will s1ip,=by each.other and thereby permit the splined' shaft and hub '53.to :move independently of the Theloosepivotal connectionsofthe various necessity of highly accurate machine Work on.

:It willgpfcoursdi be understood that the various. modifications of the clutch instrumentalias the constructions .hereinidisclosed aceom 1 plish. Moreovenrwhile the meansfor locliing'tl le free wheeling device employsa-isplinedsleeve with without departing fromthe scope of {the inven-.

It'will be seen f om the foregoingthatiwith the the shoes 44 to tilt slightly with respect to. the w I hubfsurfaces 38-.and '39 to withdraw the porhens- '45. and 46 1190 the elements. Thus. overrunning devicespf the character hereini'disclosed maybe made atalow cost of 'm'anufactureand may bereadily assemibled; I

ties the cam devices may be arranged to grip either the hub 01'' the disc toeffectrthe same result 40- Y .external teeth for: int'erengagement withthe-internal teeth ofthegdisc, the arrangement of thev teeth on these members f-may also be, reversed tially jarring or shocking the car and associated,

instrumentalities of the locking and other mechanism, -Moreover, it will be observed that the action of looking out, the vfree wheeling instrudire ct thevehicle and apply the emergency brake if necessary. v I

We are aware that many changes maybe made, andnumerous details of construction may be ,va-

' ried through a wide rangewithout departingfrom the principles of this invention, and we thereforejdo not purpose limiting the patentigranted' hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

Weclaim as our invention: 7, 1. An overrunning clutch comprising a driving part, a driven part, one of said parts having 'a peripheral surface, a link pivoted to one of said parts, a shoeengaging said surface, and loosely pivoted to said link, said link having'a cam portion engageable with said shoe to force the latfor disengaging said rim, and'a member. carried by said sleeve and operable by said I V actuate said mechanism. Y I to ter against said surface when the driving part and the other endrincluding a gripping surface engageable with the other part to limit pivotal movement of said member, said members being operable to grip said other part only upon said driving part tending to move at a greater rate of speed than the driven part, and resilient means to facilitate gripping engagement between said members and said other part, said means comprisinga spring interposed between each pair of members and urging said surfaces toward said other part.

-' '7 3. A driven elementan overrunning'clutch carried thereby, a drive element engaged with the 1 clutch comprising a hub on said driven shaft and clutch, and means operable upon movement in one direction to-progressively prevent overrunthe drive element. 1 I

4. A drive shaft, a driven shaft, anoverrunning clutch comprising a hub splined on saiddriven shaft and a rim normally drivably engaged With said drive shaft, a sleeve splined on'saiddriven shaft, said sleeve and said rim having interlockable portions, means for shifting'saidfsleeve into interlocking engagement withsaid rim and thereby prevent overrunning of said clutch, mechanism means, to

5, A drive shaft, a driven shaft, an overrunning clutch comprising 'a hub splinedon said driven shaft and a rim normally'drivably engaged with said drive shaft, a sleeve splined on saiddriven shaft, said sleeve and said rim having interlockable portions, means comprising a device operated by a footof-the' driver for" shifting said sleeve into interlocking engagement with said 7 rim and thereby prevent overrunning of said clutch, mechanism for disengaging said rim,fand amember carrie'd'by said sleeve and operable by said means to actuate saidmechanism'.

clutch, means .movable with said, member for shaft, said' sleeve and said rim having interlockable portions, means for shifting said sleeve into interlockingengag'ement with said rim and thereby prevent-overrunnin'g' of said clutch, mechanism foridisengaging said rim, and a member car- 2' ried bysaid sleeve and operable by said means to actuate said mechanism,said portions being interlockable before said member operates said mechanism, whereby said means acts successively as a speed arresting and a clutch disengaging instrumentality. 1

7. .A drive element, a clutchincluding overrunning parts and normally drivably engaged with said drive element; adriven element, one of said parts being drivably associated'with the driven element, a member splined on said driven -ele-' ment, said member andthe other of said parts being provided with normally disengaged interiockable portions, mechanism for disengaging said actuating, mechanism, said. means being spaced from said mechanism so that said portions may be interlockedprior to actuation of said mechanism by said means, said port-ions becoming disengaged upon further movement of said means to disengage said clutch.

8. A drive element, a'clutch including overrunning parts and normally drivably engaged with said drive element, a driven element,one-of said parts being driv'ably associated With, the driven element, a member splined on said driven element, said member and theother of said parts being provided with normally disengaged inter-, lockable portions, -mechanism. for disengaging said clutch, means movable with said member for actuating said mechanism, said means being spaced from said mechanism. so thatsaid portions may be interlocked prior to actuation of said 7 mechanism by said means, said portionsbecoming disengaged upon further movement of said means to disengage said clutch, said interlockable portime being constructed tofacilitatetheir interengagement. 9 A drive shaft, a driven shaft, an overrunning a rim normally drivably, engaged with said drive shaft, a sleeve splined on said driven shaft, said. sleeve and said rim-having interlockable portions, and means for shifting said sleeve into interlocking association. with said rim without disengag- 1'25 -ing said rimiand thereafter unlocking said porparts,'one. of Whichis splined on the driven shaft and the other of which is normally drivably engaged with said drive shaft, mechanism operable to .disengagesaid other part, a sleevesplinedon said driven shaft, saidsleeve and said other part having interlockable portions, and means 'mov 5 able with said sleevev for actuating said mechanism,rsle'eve. being slidable alongsaid driven shaft in one direction to cause said portions to inter lock and'subsequently actuate said mechanism and cause said'portionsto unlock, and in the 'op- 4 posite direction to cause saidportions to interlock'and' at the same timeallow reengagement of said other-part andsubsequently to unlocksaid portions 1 g "11. Ina motor vehicle power transmission sys- 14 temincluding normally-drivably connected drive and driven shafts and a disconnecting'mechanism operable by the driver in direct response to a positive normal driving act of the driver to disconnect the shafts: an overrunning clutch 'car- 50 ried by the driven shaft independently of the drive shaft and through which the shafts are normally connected for a one-Way drive, and normally ineffective means for preventing overrunning of the clutch and arranged so as to be effective beforetive normal driving act of the'driver to disconnect the shafts: an overrunning clutch carried by one of the shafts independently of the other shaft and through which the shafts are normally connected for a one-way drive, and normally ineffective means for preventing overrunning of the clutch and arranged so as to be effective before the shafts are disconnected, said means including a part movable with the disconnecting mechanism and effective in response to'the same act of the driver.-

CARL A. RUESENBERG-. WILLIAM F. HUGHES.

' ice" I 

